iamshazza

Interesting discussion here. I was banded in 2009. Not that much success - 25lbs lost. No issues to speak of until my last fill which put me at 8.5cc and now I'm finding it harder to keep things down. I seem to do a lot of sliming - sometimes even with just a couple of small bits of something like chicken or other solid/dense foods. Plus the port site seems to always be painful. I'm waiting now to hear back from my surgeons office as to whether or not my insurance will cover a revision. I was thinking about going to the sleeve, but now wonder if I should consider the bypass instead - which I really didn't want something so extreme, but. My sister has had success with the sleeve - she got hers a couple years ago. I'm really torn. But I guess I should wait and see if the insurance will even cover it first. I saw a mention of a "mini bypass" - what is that exactly?

I saw my doctor last week and discussed revision from band to sleeve along with gallbladder and he said they could do that. Checking with my insurance now to see if the band removal and sleeve would be covered. I should know this week. If it's covered then I will start their program right away - which lasts 4-6 weeks. I assume it's what new patients have to go through? Would be required by insurance I guess. I guess if the insurance won't cover it I will just have to get my gallbladder out and make the best of it.

I'm curious - because I was banded in 2009 and haven't had much success (about 25 lbs lost) - is this the reason most are going from band to sleeve? Or does there have to be a band malfunction of some sort for insurance to cover this? I just found out that I will have to have my gallbladder out. I'm going to the doctor next week to discuss the ultrasound they did. I'm thinking I might talk to him about revision surgery. But if there has to be a band slip or something of that nature I guess I wouldn't be covered :-/

I chew gum all the time as well. It keeps me from thinking about food! As a food addict I am thinking about food even when I'm not hungry. Chewing gum actually helps me a lot.

Good for you! I recently decided to reboot as well. I think I'm in the green zone now. Most of the time I know when to quit and I can eat without trouble. Now and then something gets stuck - usually meat. SO...I have to be careful early in the day with eating meat. I've taken to having yogurt with low fat granola (that I make at home with oats, various nuts and a few craisins) and a banana (if it's small a whole one, if it's big usually just half) cut up in it for Breakfast. Since we do need as much Protein as we can get I've found a couple of really good yogurts with a lot of protein. The first is Stoneyfield Farms Petite Creme...which is actually a sweet cheese, but it's like yogurt (not as tangy) and it's low fat (a whole one is 3 points for Weight Watchers) and it has 10g of protein. The other one is Noosa. The 8oz one has 13g of protein. It is considered 1 serving. When I'm bulking it up with granola and / or banana I eat half. the lid just goes back on it. They have smaller containers too. I might even have another yogurt and granola at lunch or sometimes I'll have steamed veg and/or an apple with fresh ground Peanut Butter. I like to bring tuna packed in Water with spicy mustard and a few gherkins diced up in it. I eat Soup and stew a lot when it's colder outside. I've purchased a lot of 1 cup and smaller sized containers to bring my lunch in and I have a small sized bowl that I keep at work for when I'm having soup or anything that needs heated up (so I don't give myself too big a portion). I use smaller bowls and plates at home as well. The thing I have to be careful of is evening snacking!! I've gotten better by cutting back and buying healthier Snacks (whole grain tortilla chips, salsa, pita chips, veg, fruit...), but I'm still snacking when I'm not really hungry. It's out of habit and it's been hard to break. But I'll keep working at it! dinner usually consists of some lean meat - chicken or lean ground beef made into meatballs or meatloaf or just a little hamburger slider - and a veg or potato. It's hard for me to find an excuse to be lazy because we have a fitness center right in the building where I work and I can go in there during my lunch hour and get in a good 45 min on the bike or elliptical or treadmill (when my knee will let me do anything besides the bike). I also have a dog that needs to be walked in the evenings. Again, I have a bad knee so some days I can't walk him as long, but I still have to get out there and do at least a short walk around. I try to go to the fitness center at a certain time of the day when I know there will be something good to watch on the TV to keep me distracted from what I'm doing because it is boring. I've been getting brave and looking for other activities as well and found a fitness class on Meet Up that I'm going to try in my area - Cardio Drumming. Now that sounds fun. Although I prefer to do activities with my dog, I can't always. Since I have gotten my last fill that put me where I am (8.5cc) now in late January I've lost about 8.5 lbs. I need to keep adjusting and experimenting and I also need to ramp up my activity. I hope my ramblings will help. Best of luck!!

I'll check out the genpro, thanks! I did find unjury...I got the chicken soup. It's fabulous!

I'm still looking for my green zone. Also getting very frustrated. I got another fill yesterday and am now up to 7.5cc. I asked about revision surgery as well. I've lost 20ish lbs since having the band that I've kept off. I've lost up to 40lbs and gained back when I was off work and had no insurance for over a year. I've gained 7 since this time last year and I've had 2 fills this year (before the one yesterday), but I keep hanging on to those pounds. Not gaining, but not going down. I haven't felt any real restriction yet!! I'm on liquids again today and then soft/mushy tomorrow. I'm not sure what I'll do if I can't make something happen this go around. Right now I feel so dang hungry though.My body still trying to make that adjustment I suppose. If i can get back to my real workouts I know it would help...I've been in an aircast for a while due to tendon/plantar fasciitis. Which I know would really get better if I could lose some weight!!! I guess all we can do is keep fighting for it.

I'm not sure if I have a slippage, but the last few days I've felt pain in my chest and nausia. I even had a little acid reflux yesterday. My last fill was 3 months ago. I think I was at 6cc on that fill. I stuck with liquids all day yesterday too until evening I had some mashed potatoes and a little dressing. I go to the doctor this morning, so I guess I'll find out. I'm nervous. I don't want to get unfilled...I'm already not losing any weight right now :-/ I've been physcially unable to do much of any activity, so...

I'm considering revision surgery from band to sleeve. I just haven't had much success and I've been banded for 4 years. I initially lost 40lbs but I've gained back 20 and haven't really changed eating habits. I'll be 45 this month. I have some problems with my foot and knee and back that have been preventing me from working out as much as I used to. I can't really do the treadmill anymore, but I use the eliptical and bike 3-4 days per week. Anyway. I'm just really frustrated. I've not had any issues with the band like slippage or reflux, etc. So I'm not sure if revision is going to be the way to go. But I don't know what else to do. I've been playing with the same 5-10 pounds for a year now almost. I stick to 1200 calories a day and that is not helping me lose weight. I eat less and that doesn't work. I eat more and I lose a few but then the next week I gain it back. It seems like no matter what I do nothing works. I go back to the doctor on June 11 so I guess I'll ask about it. It makes me nervous too because my friend who got the sleeve was in and out of the hospital multiple times with a leak and had a feeding tube for about a year and couldn't eat anything. Then again, she had other health problems as well before the surgery (lupus, fibro). I guess we will see..

I'm Not nice if I don't get my morning coffee. So yes, coffee for me every day!

WW has this program called Simply Filling, which is a eat lean protein, fruit, veg, whole grains etc plan. No counting points or tracking in the usual WW fashion. If you really felt like you wanted some structure and/or support that you aren't finding elsewhere I think that would be a good plan for a banded person. And also some good meal ideas and recipes. I joined WW thru work because it was basically free and I've found that I like that plan. They give you a nice list of what they call power foods too.

Oh hi I not only fell off the wagon, but the wagon ran over me. TWICE at least. My surgery was about 5 years ago. Then I was laid off, but still doing great and losing. Then stuff happened (after a year and still couldn't find a full time job...UGH) and I gained about 25lbs (give or take a few). I had lost about 50lbs. I hadn't been to see my doctor of course because no insurance. Then last year I finally got a full time job and insurance, joined WW (because the company pays for half the monthly cost & the meetings are onsite at work so why not). Lost about 10lbs before I got my insurance (it was about 2 months before I got insurance), went to see the doctor, got a fill and lost another 20 between May and December. Then more stuff, gained about 6lbs over the holidays and here I am! I go to the doctor again in March. I'm trying to at least get back to where I was last time I was there (that 6 lbs ago) before I go. I've been back on the wagon, but it seems like the scale is just not budging down or up. No matter what I do I'm working out again. I'm eating what I should be eating - lots of lean Protein, whole grains, fruit, veg. An occasional treat on the weekend at times. Staying around 1200 calories, using MFP, etc etc. So you can imagine I'm quite discouraged. And not really wanting to go back to the doctor. Well I do but I don't. I just hope they'll give me a fill. I hate feeling like a sausage squeezed into it's casing. Still trying to make this happen.

Once u click on Friends, click on email and then right above the form that comes up you will see a link that says Find Members and u click on that and then u can search by email or username

This is great...I love their Buffalo Chicken lunch meat.

J&J Critters microwavable pork rinds are YUM. I like the BBQ and Spicy flavors. http://www.microwaveporkrinds.com/asccustompages/categories.asp?RegistryID= Tons of Protein.

I'm doing WW. I'm sure you may have heard/seen commercials for their new Simple Start program. Well they also have a simply filling program which is basically lean Protein, whole grains, fruits, veg. You don't track points for any of those power foods (as they are called). You do get an allotment of weekly points for foods that are not power foods, tho. I track on MFP just because their database of food is so huge and generally I can find whatever I'm looking for a lot easier.

Nice!! I hope you like it!

Also medifast has really good fruit drink mixes that u just mix with water. 90 cal and 12g pro...

There's a great powder called Click. They are coffee flavored. I've tried the vanilla latte and loved it. Can be made hot or cold. I bought it on Amazon. their website is www.drinkclick.com

Is this the name of the drink "Quick Protein"?? I normally get EAS AdvantEDGE drinks, and they're great, but I'd like to venture into flavors beside vanilla and strawberry :-) don't really care for chocolate.

I'm just starting to use MFP again. Would love to have support from other Bandits. I'm wickedmessenger out there.

I'm in the Mason, Ohio area. Had my lapband about 4 years ago and did great then not so great and now I'm almost back where I freakin' started! Was out of work and no insurance for a couple years but have just gotten back to the doctor a couple months ago for a fill (I have 5.5. cc). Have been doing well but I feel like it would help a lot to have a buddy/buddies and/or a mentor. I track using my fitness pal. But now I'm stuck and even gained the past couple weeks. Going to the gym 3x's per week at least doing cardio and strength. I feel...lost tho for some reason. Shannon

Yummy ideas here!! Some of my faves for summer are cucumbers and onions sliced and soaked in vinegar and Water, salt and pepper to taste. Vinegar to taste as well depending on how strong u want the vinegar flavor to be. Love sliced tomatoes as well. My cousin has a garden so I get great fresh veggies from her. For a sweet treat I like strawberry chantilly. Made with SF strawberry Jello, SF vanilla pudding and lowest cool whip. It's like a mousse.

Great ideas here! Glad I saw this thread as I was just wondering how many calories I should be eating. I haven't been doing well for a while but getting back in track. My fitness tells me I should have 1345 calories per day. But I felt like it was too much. I just finally got a fill in June after 2 years of being out of work. I'm at 5.5cc now.

Hi thanks for the replies!! I'm interested in joining the challenge as well. While my family and friends are supportive I feel like I need some guidance from folks who've been banded. I'm doing better but I need an extra push :-) I'm using the iPhone app and couldn't figure how to send you an email.